Doctor of Musical Arts (D.M.A.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Music

University requirements for the D.M.A and Ph.D. are described in the "Graduate Degrees" section of this bulletin. The following statements apply to all the graduate degrees described below, unless otherwise indicated.

Department Examinations—All entering doctoral graduate students are required to take: (1) a diagnostic examination testing the student in theory (counterpoint, harmony, and analysis) and (for musicologists only) the history of Western art music; and, (2) a proficiency examination in sight-singing and piano sight-reading. These exams are given at the beginning of study in the department (usually the week before school begins). Teaching Assistant assignments and the funding associated with this portion of a graduate student's financial aid package are determined based upon successful completion of these exams.

None of Stanford's required undergraduate courses may be credited toward an advanced degree unless specifically required for both degrees. Only work that receives a grade of 'A,' 'B,' or 'Satisfactory' (a passing grade in an instructor-mandated credit/no credit course) in music courses numbered 100 or higher taken as a graduate student is recognized as fulfilling the advanced-degree requirements. Students may need to devote more than the minimum time in residence if preparation for graduate study is inadequate.

The following may be taken as electives for graduate credit:

any course in another department numbered 100 or over (with adviser's consent)
any course in the Music department numbered 100 or over except those required for the B.A. degree. A letter grade of 'A', 'B,' or 'S' (in an instructor-mandated pass/fail course) is required.
Music department group instruction: MUSIC 72–77.

ADMISSION

Applicants are required to submit evidence of accomplishment (scores, recordings, and/or research papers, according to the proposed field of concentration) when they complete the application form. Applicants should arrange to take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) well in advance of the December 16 application deadline. All components of the application are due by December 16. International students whose first language is not English are also required to take the TOEFL exam (with certain exceptions: see http://gradadmissions.stanford.edu).

FIELDS OF STUDY OR DEGREE OPTIONS

All of the following fields of study are declarable as subplans in Axess:

Doctor of Musical Arts degree (D.M.A.) in Composition—The D.M.A. is offered to a limited number of students who demonstrate substantial training in the field and high promise of attainment as composers. Students may work in traditional and/or electronic forms. Breadth is given through studies in other branches of music and in relevant fields outside music, as desirable. The final project for this degree is a large-scale composition.

Doctor of Philosophy degree (Ph.D.) in Musicology

Doctor of Philosophy degree (Ph.D.) in Computer-Based Music Theory and Acoustics—The Ph.D. is offered in areas of the research of Stanford's graduate faculty: Musicology, including specialties in musical aesthetics, history of music theory, and performance practice; and Computer-Based Music Theory and Acoustics (CBMTA), specializing in research in musical acoustics at the Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics (CCRMA). The department seeks students who demonstrate substantial scholarship, high promise of attainment, and the ability to do independent investigation and present the results of such research in a dissertation.

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

Residence—The candidate must complete a minimum of 135 academic units (see Residency under the "Graduate Degrees" section of this bulletin). Doctoral candidates working on Ph.D. dissertations or Doctor of Musical Arts (D.M.A.) final projects that require consultation with faculty members continue enrollment in the University under Terminal Graduate Registration (TGR), after they have reached the required 135 academic units and have completed their Special Area examinations.

Qualifying Examination—A written and oral examination for admission to candidacy is given just prior to the fourth quarter of residence for D.M.A. students and Ph.D. students in the Computer-Based Music Theory and Acoustics programs; for Ph.D. students in Musicology, the exams are given just prior to the eighth quarter of residence. This exam tests knowledge of history, theory, repertory, and analysis.

Teaching—All students in the Ph.D. or D.M.A. degree programs, regardless of sources of financial support, are required to complete six quarters of supervised teaching at half time. Music 280 (given in Spring Quarter and taken at the end of the first year) is a required course for Teaching Assistants. Additional quarters of teaching may be required by the department.

Required Courses—

MUSIC 200. Graduate Proseminar (4 units)—required of all composition and computer-based music theory and acoustics students entering directly from the bachelor's degree and of all students in musicology, regardless of entering degree level.

MUSIC 301A. Analysis of Music: Modal (4 units)

MUSIC 301B. Analysis of Music: Tonal (4 units)

MUSIC 301C. Analysis of Music: Post-Tonal (4 units)

I. Composition—The Doctor of Musical Arts (D.M.A.) degree in Composition is given breadth through collateral studies in other branches of music and in relevant studies outside music as seems desirable. In addition to degree requirements required of all doctoral graduate students and listed above, students must complete at least 16 units of:

MUSIC 323. Doctoral Seminar in Composition
Besides those requirements listed above, candidates are expected to produce a number of works demonstrating their ability to compose in a variety of forms and for the common media: vocal, instrumental, and electronic music. If possible, the works submitted are presented in public performance prepared by the composer. Annual progress is reviewed by the composition faculty.
Foreign Language Requirement—At the time of advancement to candidacy, all D.M.A. students are required to have demonstrated a reading knowledge of one language other than English and the ability to translate into idiomatic English.
Special-Area Examination—A written examination in the candidate's field of concentration, including a final project proposal, is required to be completed during the fourth year of study, no later than the last day of classes in Autumn Quarter of that year.
Final Project Defense—Required during the last quarter of residence, the purpose of the defense is to demonstrate the ability of the candidate to organize and present the topic of the Final Project for public review. It should be one hour in length, treating aspects of the final project. Details regarding the D.M.A. defense may be found in the Department of Music Graduate Handbook available at: http://music.stanford.edu/Academics/gradStudies.html
Final Project—Candidate's work culminates in a required Final Project. The final project in composition must be a major work for full orchestra or chamber ensemble with chorus, instruments, voices, electronic media, or a combination of these. Typically, work on the final project encompasses several quarters. Usually, smaller works, for specific performances, are composed at the same time.
Reading Committee—The minimum membership of the reading committee is the principal dissertation adviser and a second member from the department. A third member from the department is optional. All members of the committee must belong to the Academic Council. The notice of appointment of a D.M.A. Final Project Reading Committee should be submitted to the department at the same time as the approved final project proposal and the completion of the special area exam. It is the responsibility of the student, with the advice of his or her adviser, to approach appropriate faculty members and obtain their consent to serve on the reading committee. Obtain the D.M.A. reading committee form from the department office; fill it out; obtain committee members' signatures; return to the department office.

II. Musicology—In addition to degree requirements required of all doctoral graduate students and listed above, students must complete at least 42 units of approved courses including:

Required:
MUSIC 221. Topics in the History of Theory (3–5 units)

MUSIC 300A. Medieval Notation (4 units)

MUSIC 300B. Renaissance Notation (4 units)

MUSIC 310. Research Seminar in Musicology (24–40 units); the requirement is for eight seminars of 3-5 units each. Students may petition to take up to two graduate seminars in other departments, in consultation with their adviser.
Foreign Language Requirement—At the time of advancement to candidacy, all Ph.D. students in Musicology must have passed a Ph.D. Language examination in German and in a second language, chosen from French, Italian, or Latin (or, on a case-by-case basis, another language, if it has significant bearing on the candidate's field of study). If one of these languages is the student's native language, the student may be exempted from an examination.
Special-Area Examination—A written and oral examination testing the student's knowledge of music and research in the student's field of concentration is completed during the fourth year of study, no later than the last day of classes in Autumn Quarter of that year. This includes an oral defense of the dissertation proposal. The examining committee comprises prospective readers of the dissertation.
University Oral Examination—Taken once the dissertation is substantially underway; an oral presentation and defense of dissertation research methods and results.
Dissertation—After the first two years of graduate study, the student concentrates on research and writing of the dissertation. The dissertation demonstrates the student's ability to work systematically and independently to produce an essay of competent scholarship.
Reading Committee—The minimum membership of the reading committee is 1) the principal dissertation adviser, 2) a second member from the department, and 3) a third member from the major department or another department. If a third member is from another institution, a fourth member must be appointed from the department. The principal dissertation adviser and all other members of the committee must belong to the Academic Council. The notice of appointment of a Reading Committee should be submitted to the department at the same time as the approved dissertation proposal and the completion of the Special-Area Exam. It is the responsibility of the student, with the advice of his or her adviser, to approach appropriate faculty members and obtain their consent to serve on the reading committee.

III. Computer-Based Music Theory and Acoustics—In addition to degree requirements required of all doctoral graduate students and listed above, students must complete at least 28 units of approved courses including:

Required:
MUSIC 220A. Fundamentals of Computer-Generated Sound (4 units)

MUSIC 220B. Compositional Algorithms, Psychoacoustics, and Spatial Processing (4 units)

MUSIC 220C. Research Seminar in Computer-Generated Music (4 units)

MUSIC 220D. Research in Computer-Generated Music (12 units total)

MUSIC 320. Introduction to Digital Audio Signal Processing (4 units)
Foreign Language Requirement—At the time of advancement to candidacy, all Ph.D. students in computer-based music theory and acoustics are required to have demonstrated a reading knowledge of one language other than English and the ability to translate into idiomatic English.
Special-Area Examination—A written and oral examination testing the student's knowledge of music and research in the student's field of concentration is completed during the fourth year of study, no later than the last day of classes in Autumn Quarter of that year. This includes an oral defense of the dissertation proposal. The examining committee comprises prospective readers of the dissertation.
University Oral Examination—Taken once the dissertation is substantially underway; an oral presentation and defense of dissertation research methods and results.
Dissertation—After the first two years of graduate study, the student concentrates on research and writing of the dissertation. The dissertation demonstrates the student's ability to work systematically and independently to produce an essay of competent scholarship.
Reading Committee—The minimum membership of the reading committee is 1) the principal dissertation adviser, 2) a second member from the department, and 3) a third member from the major department or another department. If a third member is from another institution, a fourth member must be appointed from the department. The principal dissertation adviser and all other members of the committee must belong to the Academic Council. The notice of appointment of a Reading Committee should be submitted to the department at the same time as the approved dissertation proposal and the completion of the Special-Area Exam. It is the responsibility of the student, with the advice of his or her adviser, to approach appropriate faculty members and obtain their consent to serve on the reading committee.

PH.D. IN MUSIC AND HUMANITIES

The department participates in the Graduate Program in Humanities leading to a Ph.D. degree in Music and Humanities. For a description of the program, see the "Interdisciplinary Studies in Humanities" section of this Bulletin.

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Stanford Bulletin, Archive 2008-09